1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for detecting when equipment or articles of manufacture have been subjected to a mechanical shock, or force, great enough to cause malfunctioning. More particularly, it relates to a device that can be readily attached to a container or the like for monitoring when the container has been subjected to an acceleration, or force, great enough to cause malfunctioning of equipment or elements within the case or container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has seen development of a wide variety of complex electronic, mechanical, and electromechanical apparatus that fails to operate properly for many reasons. One of the many reasons that has plagued recently developed apparatus is that the apparatus or component thereof may sustain a mechanical shock of sufficient magnitude to cause malfunctioning, as by altering domain orientation, or breaking, or deforming one one or more of the operating components. Specifically, the prior art has seen development of equipment such as test instruments, disc packs, disc cartridges, and other devices employing magnetic storage for computer programs and the like that fail to operate when subjected to excessive shock.
One measure of the mechanical shock is the number of G's that have been experienced by the component, for example, by the container or the like; where G is the acceleration of the earth's gravity. The number of G's has been variously referred to as shock, acceleration forces, or just acceleration. In effect, it may be a negative acceleration, or deceleration, in that it measures the rapidity with which case is brought to a stop, for example, in striking a door jam or the like.
The prior art has failed to provide an economical system for monitoring whether or not the components have been subjected to the shock, or acceleration. Instead, where the expense was economically feasible, elaborate systems have been employed to monitor the acceleration, or acceleration forces, and provide an indication of the acceleration to which the component had been subjected. Such devices of the prior art have, however, been elaborate and expensive and not economical enough to be employable on less expensive discs, cartridges, and small test equipment.